Foot adjuster



Feb. 6, 1940. K. B. WHITNEY 2,189,693

FOOT ADJUSTER Filed May 15, 1937 j m /NVEN "rm- KENNETH 5. Wm 7w: Y.

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 I FOOT ADJUSTER Kenneth B. Whitney} Toronto, Ontario,

Canada ApplicationMay'lS, 1937," Serial No. 142,912 In Canada April 12, 1937 7 Claims. (i. res-6 9) rrics This invention relates to'a foot adjuster and particularly that type of appliance for treating weak or fallen arches- In the science of treating feet it is generally Fig. 2 isa side elevationotFig. 1.,

Fig; 3 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the dotted lines showing a bowingthe pedal extremities during treatment. Fig. 4 is a detail of the adjustable exerciser .5 recognized that many ailments, some obscure, for the anterior arch. ii are attributable to Weak'or fallen arches and Fig, 5 is a View of a modified type of arch that when the-feet are justed to proper conditreating member, and tion, the delicate nervous system of the anatomy 1 Fig.6 is a view of an adjustabletype of arch efiected by reflex'action becomes normal and the treating member.

o complaints removed. v, Referring now to the drawing wherein like With the present invention, complete home letters and numerals designate corresponding 7 treatmentflof the feet is contemplated wherein parts in; the several illustrations, the letter A inthe; plantar, transverse and anterior arches may dicates'the appliance as a whole which includes be gently articulated and" treated so that the the pl n rand transver e arch r n me l5 flaccid muscles and tendons of the feet necome brB'andthe anterior arch treati e bci C It strengthened, nerve pressure relieved and such Ina n ral Way th stru ture of t pparatus bones as the cuboid,cuneiform,metatarsal, etc., Cons s s Of base Provided with a fool? again adjusted, thus with. renewed strength, flexice v n 'p Which s Composed i bility of 7 muscle, increased circulation, limber y d pfls d 0 slopingly ge l icotreceivaction of the pedal digits, etc the feet are res su a i2 and t3 Corresponding substan- 2o stored to normal and general health materially ia y 150 an inverted V fOrmatiOnv I improved. At the base of the foot receiving surfaces'I (o of t objects. of t p 'esent jnvention prov'idefoot bracing or abutting walls M and I5 therefore is to provide. device of this character w in Combination fin Substantially 25 wherein foot weakness or fallenarches may be pe Channel like formations am? 130 efiectively treated. [guard the foot position while associated with the Another object of the present invention is to f t v neplatf nn d p f ra ly an d provide a device of thi har t wh i t in a horizontal plane is thetreating' member C. feet of the individual are placed in such a posih e and p StYU-GWYQ y formed tion that itcausesth e person to relax, oth i separately, or, as is well known. in the art,'rnay- 30 i taut muscles during treatment or adjustment of e stamped or moulded from suitable mate1"-i?a1s the arches.

in: unit form. w .A further object of the presentinventionis to In D Q the Surface-S 0f the appliance provide a device of. this character, wherein the tamed by the feet a preferably providefl with muscles of the feet. are strengthened, corrective a'coveiing of material Such example 3 articulation applied, circulation;stimulated and rubber '5 h the slipping Of'the' feet of the feet generally rest r d t aheaithy condiindividual may lee-guarded against. during. aidtion. a H justment of the feet.

Yet. a further object of the present invention. is i Coming now to an essential featured the 4D,, to, r id appliance f this, character in vention, thiscom'prises an elongated rib member 40 which the .arch treating elements may be ad fi With a lt base a r u d' pper iustcd to meet the requirements-oi various con- Pertions- In structure'the'rib member I ditions. tively hard but with somewhat flexible proper- Ha'ving regard to the folegqing and th 1 ties andv diminishes in thickness toward itsexlects-andadvantageswhichwill become known as tremities ,while extending from side to side overv 5 the. description. andnature of the invention bethe angularl-y p d Surfaces 0f t lfi come known, the invention. consists essentially y particular reference t F 3 it will be in'.,the novel. combination and arrangement of observed that the member is is distinctly-thick elements and parts-hereinafter described: inde-,- at the p CIOWII O t D and n a tail and. illustrated in the accompanying drawcurved manner gradually diminishes to anfaling inwhich: I most inconsequential thickness at the: channels.

,Figel is a plan view of an'embodirnent of the It and ii. In location, the member it is poslinvention, the dotted. lines showing-representa me stant y midway f the length Of h tions of" feet inarch treatingposi-tion/ platform at a point Where there is ample space for movement of the feet forward and backward on the platform as will be hereinafter referred to.

As particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the member i9 is disclosed as being formed integral with the covering of the platform however it will be understood that the detachable and adjustable types shown in Figs. 5 and 6, later described in detail, may be employed.

A further and essential feature of the present invention is the angle or sloping arrangement of the foot receiving surfaces I2 and I3. One of the important purposes served by such arrangement is that it induces the individual to stand in a straddling position, the sloping surfaces naturally turning the feet sideways and causing a bowing of the legs such bowing in turn causing a relaxation of muscles and with muscles relaxed the treatment of the feet is more effective, thorough and eflicient. A definite angle or slope for the foot receiving surfaces is not established however it may be said that an angle of forty degrees has been found to be practical for the majority of cases, it being understood nevertheless that the angle of the foot receiving surfaces may be varied within the purview of the invention.

Referring now to the member C which is designed for the treatment of the anterior arch, this also comprises a rib member which is indicated by the numeral 20. In general terms the member 20 is substantially arcuate in form and composed of relatively hard yet somewhat resilient material. As observed, the member 20 is also rounded on the upper surfaces and may either be formed integral with the covering [8 or as is indicated in Fig. 4, may be adjustable so that the height may be varied as desired. In its adjustableness the components include a threaded rod 2! operable by a wing nut or the like 22, the rod threadedly engaging plate 23 and extending into a socket 24 which in turn is secured to a plate 25 which further in turn is embedded in the member 20. From the foregoing it will be obvious that operation of the nut 22 will cause the member 20 to move upwardly or downwardly to a protruding position' best suited to individual needs andv requirements.

Reverting now to the transverse rib member l9 previously mentioned and especially the detachable type shown in Fig. 5, this comprises a separately formed rib member having a wire or rod 26- extending therethrough, the ends of the rod being secured beneath the platform surfaces by nuts 2'! or other suitable securing means. In the adjustable and detachable rib disclosed in Fig. 6, an elongated wedge like member 28 is adapted to be inserted between the base of the rib proper and the faces of the platforms I2 and 13. The extremities of the wedge member and of the rib member are detachably secured in position by means of bolts or similar securing means 29. For illustrative purposes I have shown only one size of wedge member, it is self evident however that a series of wedges of various taperings and thicknesses may be provided to vary the extent of the protrusion of the rib member as may be required or desirable to suit differing conditions and circumstances with respect to the feet requiring treatment.

In addition to the foregoing I provide means for elevating What may be termed the front end of the apparatus. This may be accomplished in any convenient form and I have shown threadedly engaged leg members 30 which may be extended to elevate one end of the apparatus as desired. One of the purposes served in elevating one end of the apparatus is that it enables treatment to be correctively effected with a double angle in certain instances than when applied normally in accordance with the invention.

When arch treatment is to be effected, the individual stands in an upright position with both feet placed upon the angularly disposed foot receiving surfaces l2 and I3, the arches of the feet resting upon the rib member IS with the outside of the feet in the channel arrangement abutting the guard walls 14 and I5 (see Fig. 3).

In the posture just described, the sloping arrangement of the surfaces !2 and I3 will, as previously mentioned, cause a bowing of the legs and in consequence thereof muscle relaxation. With the full weight of the body upon the pedal extremities, the rib member l9 fits neatly into the transverse arch portions of the feet. Very minute steps are then taken by the individual in a forward and backward direction until the entire plantar and transverse arches have been subjected to treatment during which the bones. muscles, ligaments, etc., of the feet exercised and manipulated. With this treatment completed the individual then steps off the sloping surfaces and takes up a position at the opposing end of the apparatus. As previously mentioned the appliance C is designed for the treatment of the anterior arch and corrective treatment of this arch is effected by placing one of the feet in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l with the member 20 extending between the toes from which position the leg is then bent forward as indicated in dotted lines at 3| in Fig. 2. This exercise and adjustment is further repeated until the entire anterior arch of both feet have been. correctively exercised.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by my novel arrangement, manipulation and exercise may be administered to the various arches, bones and muscles of the feet under most favorable application of restoring pressure and corrective articulation which revives and strengthens flaccid muscles, relieves tension and stimulates blood circulation all of which is conducive of improved health.

Many changes may be made in the above and many apparently widely different embodiments constructed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is intended therefore that all matter herein related shall be interpreted within the scope of the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a structure of the character described, a base member having two substantially flat foot receiving surfaces sloping outwardly and downwardly from a middle ridge adapted to support the length of the feet with the feet inclined outwardly, and an elongated rib member extending transversely across and protruding above the flat foot receiving surfaces adapted to elevate the ini step arch.

2. In. a structure of the character described, a foot receiving platform having two substantially fiat foo-t receiving surfaces sloping on an appreciable incline outwardly and downwardly from i a middle ridge, an elongated rib member extending transversely across the foot receiving surfaces intermediate the ends thereof and protruding above the flat foot receiving surfaces and shaped to present a substantially wedge-shaped rib portion in the middle area of each foot receiving surface with the thickened end of the transversely over the side of each foot receiving wedge-shaped form at the ridge, and means to vary the elevation of parts of said rib above the foot receiving surfaces.

3. In a structure of the character described, a base member having an elongated ridge in the middle portion thereof with individual foot receiving surfaces sloping at an appreciable angle outwardly and downwardly from said ridge, and

an elongated rib member 'detach'ably and replaceably located across the ridge to extend transversely over each foot receiving surface on the side adjacent to the ridge.

4. In a structure of the character described, a

base member having a medial ridge with two subversely across said base provided with a flat unstantially fiat foot receiving portions sloping appreciably outwardly and downwardly from the ridge, and an elongated rib member fitted transder face to fit and extend from the ridge laterally down onto and over a part of each foot receiving surface and having its upper side rounded transversely and reduced in thickness toward the ends whereby the rib member is characterized in a arcuate formation.

5. In a structure of the character described, a

base member having a longitudinal ridge with foot receiving surfaces sloping outwardly and downwardly at an appreciable angle on each side of the ridge, foot bracing or abutting walls at the outer edge of each of the foot receiving sur faces, and an elongated rib member detachably fitted upon said base member and extending surface adjacent to the ridge, the said rib member being rounded in transverse formation and having greater thickness toward the-ridge and lesser thickness toward the foot bracing walls.

6. In a structure of the character described, a base member having two substantially fiat foot base member as an entirety with respectto the fioor.

7. In a structure of the character described, a base member of the stationarytype provided with a medial ridge and two substantially fiat foot receiving surfaces sloping downwardly and outwardly from the said ridge at an angle of appreciable inclination, an elongated rib member extending transversely across the foot receiving surfaces substantially intermediate their ends and .protruding above the said .foot receiving surfaces,the said rib member being of substantially wedge-shaped formation characterized by a thickness that is greater toward'the medial ridge and a lesser thickness toward the outer edges of the foot receiving surfaces.

KENNETH B. WHITNEY. 

